Lüneburg, Battlefields

The little village of Lüneburg (place of the moon) is the original settlement of German Lutheran missionaries who, it is safe to assume, named the community in 1854 after their hometown in Germany. Today it is the site of the oldest German school in northern KwaZulu Natal and lies in the northern Drakensburg, virtually on the border with Mpumalanga, its nearest neighbour Paulpietersburg.

Lüneburg is essentially a farming community and its centre offers little by way of attraction (unless you include the two incredibly beautiful churches) which form the nucleus of the community, the town’s butcher and the farm cash store.

It’s what surrounds Lüneburg that makes this part of the world such an undiscovered treasure. Miles from society’s many creature comforts it is unavoidable that one gets in touch with one’s roots and instead soaks up the fresh mountain air, the enviable life that evolves from living close to nature and the strong sense of community that is Lüneburg’s society.

Life out here is subject only to the rolling hills, starlit skies, rivers that hypnotically wend their way through the valley, and the cry of the fish eagle. Angling for yellow fish is one of the ultimate pastimes here and it is safe to assume that the outdoors is what draws you here. Mountain biking, hiking, horse trails and birding are the main attractions, if one feels so inclined, but with the slowing down of time that is inevitable here, there is little pressure to do anything.